Many movies nowadays are incredibly long and convoluted. For example, Avengers: Endgame has a runtime of over three hours. There is nuance and many strings to follow, so a long experience makes sense. However, if there is more to cover, which is necessary for the plot, it is best for film producers to extend their content.
On the other hand, some movies add so much that it becomes unnecessary. For example, additional characters, extensive conversations, shots that seem to last forever, and too much time given to violence and fights. At the same time, shorter films can serve a mainlined purpose: to be a concentrated version of a story that is also focused and easy to digest.
10 Most Of The Hateful Eight Was Unnecessary
Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight had the recipe for success: renowned and talented director, incredible scenery, and star-studded cast. But unfortunately, the film fell short for some fans due to the unnecessary language, violence, and static dialogue.
The Hateful Eight's run-time comes in at a hefty 2 hours 55 minutes. Instead of being so long and repetitive, The Hateful Eight may have worked better as a short film. It would've been more impactful instead of drawn out and had a more concentrated and focused storyline.
9 King Kong Is Too Long
There is no doubt that Peter Jackson can create breathtakingly stunning visuals. Jackson is also very well known for the extensive run times of his films, King Kong being no exception. The 2005 epic is somehow longer than the first in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, coming in at 3 hours 21 minutes long.
Based on the narrative of King Kong, the film could've been a short one. Instead, the run time purely comes down to the extended visual effects, so the characters and dialogue suffer. The change would only amplify the drama of King Kong and bring it to a more satisfying (and quick) conclusion.
8 Transformers: Dark Side Of The Moon's Unnecessary Scenes
While this film is a similar runtime to the other Transformers movies, Dark of the Moon could work better as a concentrated short film. The majority of the story and many battles feels unnecessary, and due to the length of the film, it all becomes quite boring.
The conclusion is the only necessary part that could have made an engaging 40-minute short film. Two hours 34 minutes isn't a terribly long film, but it feels that way when what a viewer is watching lacks style and originality.
7 Enter The Void Goes Off The Rails
When watching a movie that is 2 hours and 23 minutes long, an audience expects to go on a ride. With Enter the Void, however, viewers are dropped off after 30 minutes when the plot goes off track and becomes convoluted and repetitive.
So much happens in Enter the Void, like the flashes and color to simulate drug use and pornographic scenes. All of which confuses the audience, but not always in a good way. The film has a unique, clever style and storytelling, which could be better interpreted when shortened.
6 The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo Works Both Ways
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is based on a novel of 672 pages, so it makes sense that the film is just over 2.5 hours long. However, due to its strong themes, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo would make for a well-constructed short film.
This isn't to say the feature-length film isn't good as is; it is rated highly and critically praised. However, a different interpretation of the book could be a more condensed version concentrating on the plot rather than the overload of characters. In addition, it is tough to keep tension in a feature-length film, and while The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is fairly successful, it feels slow-moving at times.
5 Inglourious Basterds Drags Out Dialogue
One common complaint about Inglourious Basterds is the length, especially regarding the opening sequence. A lot of time is dedicated to dialogue and conversations that feel unnecessary to the development of the plot and could easily be shortened.
As mentioned before, shorter films are great for a focused and concentrated story, and Inglourious Basterds would work better this way. Rather than being diluted with complications and needless new character introductions, the film could have been much more serious, given the topic, and more to the point.
4 Funny People Set High Expectations
The fantastic cast of Funny People, including Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, and Jonah Hill, brought with it high expectations, and the film is, of course, very funny. But it caused viewers to lose interest due to its length and, while it is a good drama, could've been substantially cut down.
The usual runtime of comedy films is short, sweet, and to the point, whereas Funny People extends over nearly 2.5 hours. Perhaps the dark comedy of this film would've worked better in a microdose.
3 2001: A Space Odyssey Drags On Too Long
Despite the great visuals and the fact it was an incredible endeavor for its time, 2001: A Space Odyssey spends too much time in silence. Of course, the long stretches of nothing and space visuals have meaning and nuance, and it does feel meaningful at first.
The stretches become too much, however; even though the film is only 2 hours 19 minutes long, it feels like an age. Despite being a very well-received feature-length film, 2001: A Space Odyssey could've made for a very engaging short film, as a short story inspired it.
2 Hulk Didn't Have Enough Hulk
While some movies spend too much time on scenery and visuals, not dialogue, Hulk (2003) does the opposite. And while the CGI and editing speak to its time, there is no excuse for the slow pacing of Hulk and the incessant conversations.
It is a beloved film from many people's childhoods and, in that way, it is wonderful. As well, Hulk has a stellar cast. However, there are strange camera angles, and it takes too long to get to the story's point.
1 An Unexpected Journey Takes The Long Way Home
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is one 372-page book. Following the success of The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson took the very short Hobbit book and stretched it into three very long films. An Unexpected Journey comes in at 2 hours 49 minutes. Considering the book's length, this film could’ve encapsulated the entire story, and there definitely didn’t need to be a trilogy.
The creators of the films clearly sought the same success and acclaim they received after making LOTR, so they milked a short book for all it was worth. The benefit of the trilogy is that fans get more scenes from actors they know and love, such as Ian McKellen, but a downside is that it is drawn out, convoluted, and often confusing.